(Wahpeton)– Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation say a wetland restoration project will improve water quality entering West Lake Okoboji through the Sandpiper Cove area.
When fully restored, officials say the two parcels of land, totaling 347 acres, could filter as much as 90 percent of the silt loads entering the lake in that area.
Officials say engineering will begin this winter for 15 reconstructed wetland basins on the properties, which are now primarily cropland and pasture.
Restoration is to start in the fall of 2012.
Funding is through the DNR’s 319 lake restoration funds, a loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act Prairie Pothole Joint Venture. A local grant from the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission is providing about 10 percent of the project cost.
Private assistance comes from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation’s LaVonne and Dale Foote Fund.
Officials say the project will also provide increased habitat and will help alleviate local flooding problems.
